Picture frame or the like



Oct. 8, i946., A N|HON 2,408,9g4

PICTURE FRAME 0R THE LIKE Filed Aug. 6, 1943 Iig. 2.

INVENTOR ilu Patented Oct. 8, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to a frame or decorative panel which may be used as a picture frame or for other purposes. In particular, it comprises a frame of glass strips with a cover panel of glass secured thereto.

It is the object of my invention to provide a picture frame or the like of attractive appearance which can be manufactured at low cost and will serve suitably to exhibit a photograph or other pictorial representation or decorative panel of any sort.

In a preferred embodiment of my invention I provide a frame in the form of a polygon, e. g., a rectangle, by assembling and joining together strips of glass, specifically the bulb-edged strip which forms on the sides of drawn sheet glass made by the Fourcault process. The margins of such drawn glass having afbulb or rounded enlargement at their extreme edges, are ordinarily severed from the main body of the sheet and scrapped. My invention thus provides a use for a by-product which heretofore has met but with limited utilization. The existence of the bulbedged strip as a by-product provides a cheap source of material for making picture frames and the like in accordance with my invention.

Further details and novel features of my invention will be made apparent in the following complete -description and explanation which refer to the accompanying drawing illustrating one preferred embodiment. In the drawing,

Figure l is an elevation of a picture frame according to my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation;

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the plane of line III-III of Figure l;

, Figure 4 is a partial rear elevation to an enlarged scale, partly broken away; and

Figure 5 is a partial section along the plane of line V-V of Figure 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, a frame III embodying my invention, illustrated specically as a picture frame, comprises lengths Il, I2, I3 and I4 of bulb-edged strip with their ends mitered, assembled in the form oi a rectangle. The strips II and I2 thus form the top and bottom, and the strips I3 and I4 the sides of the frame. These strips are preferably cut from lengths of the margins of drawn sheet glass, on which the bulb edge forms naturally during the drawing and cooling of the sheet. A glass cover sheet I5 overlies the bulb-edged strips and is secured thereto, preferably by transparent cement. As shown in the drawing, the sheet I5 extends substantially to the bulb-edge of the strips forming the frame. If desired, decorative corner pieces I6 may be cemented to the cover sheet to conceal the greater portion of the joints between the lengths of the strip.

The structure described so far is well adapted` to serve as a picture frame. For this use, it is only necessary to place a picture such as that indicated at I'I behind the cover sheet I5. `'I'he picture may be secured in place by any convenient means. For instance, retainer strips I8 may `be cemented to the side strips I3 and I4 on the back thereof, the inner edges of the retainer strips projecting beyond the inner edges of the bulb-edged strips. The retainer strips preferably extend the full length of the side strips I3 and I4. The inner edges of the retainer strips which overhang the inner edges of strips I3 and I4 are cut away adjacent their lower endsl as at I8a.V

With this construction, it is only necessary to insert the picture from the bottom of the frame by sliding it inwardly under the overhanging edges of the retainer strips. When in nal position as shown, the picture rests on the upper edge of the length of strip I2 forming the bottom of the frame. Behind the picture, I prefer to insert a backing board I'I in the same manner, or the picture may rst be mounted on the board and both inserted together. The board may conveniently have a folding supporting wing I9 cemented thereto whereby the frame may stand in the manner of an easel, as shown in Figure 2. The frame may also be adapted for wall mounting by attaching eyes or other means for receiving the usual wire for hanging, or the eyes may be secured to the board I1. The picture and board may easily be removed by bending up the lower edge thereof sufficiently to clear the strip I2 so the picture and board may be slipped downwardly out of the frame.

While the advantages of my invention may be best achieved by utilizing as the material for the frame the -bulb-edged strip cut from the sides of drawn sheet glass, it is also within the contemplation of my invention to make the frame and cover sheet of molded plastic.

It will be apparent that the construction disclosed may serve other functions than that of a picture frame. The strips II, I2, I3, I4, and the cover sheet I5, assembled in the manner shown, comprise a useful serving tray when disposed with the cover sheet down. This form of construction, when turned over so that the cover sheet is on the upper side, provides an attractive panel for various uses such as supporting merchandise on display in counters or show windows,

or as a supportl for a center-piece on a table. My improved panel is also well adapted to serve as a clock face or dial. It will be recognized that the construction may be made in shapes other than the rectangle illustrated and may be adapted to various uses other than those 'specifically enumerated.

It will be further apparent that the invention is characterized by numerous advantages. In the rst place, it is composed principally of material which is ordinarily scrapped and can, therefore, be obtained at low cost. From another viewpoint, the invention provides a market for a product which heretofore has seen little application and has usually been considered only as Waste material. The parts comprising the frame may be quickly assembled by unskilled labor so that the total cost of manufacture is low. The nished article is attractive in appearance and has numerous possible uses, either in the form illustrated or some modication thereof.

Although I have illustrated and described but a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be recognized that changes in the details of its construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A picture frame or the like comprising a plurality of lengths of the bulb-edged margin which forms on thesides of drawn sheet glass, said lengths being mitered at their ends and assembled with their bulb edges outermost to forma polygon, and a glass sheet overlying said lengths but not their bulb edges and secured thereto.

2. A display frame or the like comprising lengths of the bulb-edged margin which forms on the sides of drawn sheet glass, arranged in polygonal shape with their bulb edges outermost, and a cover sheet overlying the lengths but not their bulb edges and secured thereto.

3. A display or supporting panel comprising strips of the bulb-edged margin which forms on the sides of drawn sheet glass, arranged in a polygon, and a sheet overlying the greater por- 4 tion of said strips but not their bulb edges and secured thereto.

4. A frame or the like for a display panel comprising a plurality of strips of the bulb-edged margins which form on drawn sheet glass, disposed in the form of a polygon and secured together with the bulb edges of the strips outermost.

5. A panel or the like for display purposes comprising a plurality of strips of the bulb-edged margins which form on drawn sheet glass disposed in the form of a polygon and secured together with the bulb edges of the strips outermost, and a glass cover sheet overlying the strips.

6. A panel or the like for display purposes comprising a plurality of bulb-edged glass strips disposed in the form of a polygon and secured together with the bulb edges of the strips outermost, a glass cover sheet overlying said strips on one side thereof, and retainer strips extending along certain of the bulb-edged strips on the other side thereof, and secured thereto with their inner edges extending inwardly beyond the inner edges of said bulb-edged strips.

'7. An article of manufacture adapted to serve as a picture frame, tray or display panel, comprising a plurality of lengths of the bulb-edged glass strip severed from drawn sheet glass, said lengths being arranged in a polygon with their bulb-edges outermost, and a glass sheet of the same shape as the polygon overlying the greater portion of the surface of said lengths but leaving the bulb-edges thereof exposed.

8. A panel or the like for display purposes comprising a plurality of bulb-edged glass strips disposed in the form of a polygon and secured together with the bulb edges of the strips outermost, a glass cover sheet overlying said strips on one side thereof, and retainer strips extending along certain of the bulb-edged strips on the other side thereof, and secured thereto with their inner edges extending inwardly beyond the inner edges of said bulb-edged strips, the inner edges of said retainer strips being cut away along a portion of their length adjacent one end, to facilitate the introduction of a picture or the like under their overhanging inner edges.

ALEXIS NIHON. 

